Kate Middleton Has Closed Her Own Car Door Before So Everyone Calm Down

Yesterday, Meghan Markle caused an unusual stir when she closed a car door herself while arriving to her first solo engagement. (Shocking!) But she's not the only royal who's done that before.

After some thorough investigation, royal watchers on Twitter shared footage of Kate Middleton also shutting her own door at public appearances. It turns out, she's done it on multiple occasions, according to tweets from royal commentator Victoria Murphy and royal fans.

One included her arrival to the Action On Addiction Community Treatment Centre in February.

Normal people (and the royals are normal people at the end of the day...well, jury is out on Charles 😉) are habituated to closing car doors. The #DuchessofSussex was not the first. 🙄. H/t @QueenVicMirror https://t.co/nYyx4dBYrs

Twitter user @SarahNZ1994 pointed out to Murphy that Kate also closed her door while carrying Princess Charlotte while arriving to a Christmas service in 2016. Prince William shut his door, too.

After Markle's door-closing footage went viral, some fans praised her for being independent and humble, despite her royal status. Others alleged that she "broke protocol," but that's not true, royal commentator Victoria Arbiter pointed out on Twitter. As refreshing and down-to-earth the gesture may seem, it technically doesn't defy any official royal rules.

Current state: Poking my own eyes out after reading Meghan “broke protocol” by shutting her car door. Car door shutting does not fall under protocol!

"Usually, if you are a member of the royal family or a dignitary, you have a member of staff to open and close a car door for you," etiquette expert William Hanson told BBC News. But it's done for security reasons rather than for "airs and graces," he told the radio show.

The next time you see a royal close his or her own door, don't be surprised.

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